Counter skiving machines



Nov. 26; 1957 ROBBINS ETAL 2,814,485

COUNTER SKIVIIfIG MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June '7, 1955 33Inventors Joseph Robbins William A. Smart- Han/(R Smizh BL zf/zeir-Aforrzey m mm r 3 wk A sw Y Q Q Nov. 26, 1957 J. ROBBINS E.,TAL 2,

' COUNTER SKIVING MACHINES I Filed June '1, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .5 [48M u'. [44 \I I, k i" \//n w Inventors Joseph Robbins h/z'llz'am fLj'marzFrank R. Smith, By ihe/zviitorney Nov. 26, 1957 J. ROBBINS ETAL2,814,485

COUNTER SKIVING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 7, 1955 11am A.Smari Fr'dnk R. Smif/L By their Azfbrrzey Inventors Joseph Robbin illNov. 26, 1957 J. ROBBINS ETAL 2,814,485

CbUN'rER SKIVING MACHINES Filed June 7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 93 [ml/entors w,.... 26 Joseph Robbins William A .Smam

56 8 .12 Frank R. SmzZ/z United States Patent COUNTER SKIVENG MACHINESJoseph Robbins, William A. Smart, and Frank R. Smith, Leicester,England, assignors to United Shoe Machinery gorporatron, Flemington, N.1., a corporation of New ersey Application June 7, 1955, Serial No.513,772 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 8, 1954 9Claims. (Cl. 271-1) This invention relates to skiving machines, and isillustrated herein as embodied in a counter skiving machine of the typedisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,600,968, grantedSeptember 28, 1926, upon an application of C. W. Bailey.

Counter blanks are commonly made from strips of fibre board each side ofwhich has a beveled margin, the blanks being cut from the stripscrosswise thereof in such a manner that the ends of the blanks areincluded in the beveled margins of the material. Subsequently, theblanks are further skived along one side, at least, to provide a beveledlateral margin which merges with the previously beveled margins at theends of the blank. The blanks are then molded into the desired shape forcounters.

The last-mentioned skiving operation may be carried out in a machine ofthe type disclosed in the above-mentioned Bailey patent, in which blanksstacked in a holder are fed endwise by a blank separating device, one ata time, from the bottom of the stack through a gate and thence to feedrolls, one of which is a matrix roll, for presenting the blank to aknife in such a manner that the desired skiving cut is made upon theblank.

Because of the tendency of the skived ends of the blank to bend out ofthe plane of the blank it is possible for the leading ends of the twolowermost blanks to enter and become jammed in the gate of theseparating device and, for the same reason the separating means, insteadof acting upon only the lowermost blank, may push against the thintrailing ends of the two lowermost blanks in the stack. In the lattercase, it is evident that the separating means would become jammed evenif only the lowermost blank enters the gate.

In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of the invention toprovide in a machine for skiving counter blanks having beveled ends,improved blank separating and feeding means in the operation of whichthe interruptions heretofore caused by the thin beveled ends of theblanks are avoided.

To this end, the illustrative machine includes improved mechanism forpresenting a blank to be skived to the cutter of the machine which ischaracterized, in accordance with a feature of the invention, by thecombination with a platform having spaced guides cooperating with theplatform to form a channel for directing the blank by engagement withits unreduced lateral edges to the cutter, of a holder for a stack ofblanks mounted at one side of the channel flush with the guiding edge ofone of the guides, and blank separating means for transferring thelowermost blank in the holder across said guiding edge into said channeltransversely thereof. Thus, in the operation of the blank separatingmeans of the illustrative machine, which includes a gate for permittingonly one blank to pass out of the holder at once, the intendedfunctioning of the gate is insured not only because unreduced edges ofnormal thickness of the blanks at one side thereof are presented to thegate, but also because similar unreduced edges of normal thickness atthe other side of the blanks are acted upon by the separating means whenthey are pushed out of the holder.

Invention is also to be recognized in the provision in the illustratedmachine of means for depressing the blanks onto the above-mentionedplatform and into the desired operative relation to the means foradvancing the blanks along the platform to the feed rolls.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will next bedescribed in the following detailed description, with reference to theaccompanying drawings of an illustrative machine embodying theinvention, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section of the illustrative machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation illustrating the pusher plate of thefeeding means, the section being taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the work engaging end of the pusherplate, its parts being shown in exploded relation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing the adjustable mounting of thepusher plate, the section being taken along the line IVIV in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, viewed fromthe left, certain parts having been broken away;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation illustrating the relation of a part ofthe feeding means and the knife, the section being taken along the lineVI-VI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showing the holder for a stack of blanksand the blank separating means, the section being taken along the lineVIIVI1 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation illustrating adjusting means for theguide plate on which the holder is mounted, the section being takenalong the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7.

The illustrative machine comprises a frame 10 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) onwhich is mounted a forwardly extending table 12. Behind the table 12 isfixedly mounted a knife 14 (Fig. 6), the upper surface of the table infront of the knife constituting a platform 16 upon which a counter blankB is positioned in readiness to be fed to the knife. The platform isextended rearwardly toward the knife 14 by the provision of a thin plate17 which is secured to the table 12 by a screw 18.

Along the right-hand side of the platform 16 there extends an adjustableguide 19 (Figs. 1 and 7) which is secured to the table by bolts 20passing through transverse slots 22 in the guide. By turning ashouldered screw 24, received in a 'U-shaped lug 26 on the table 12 andthreaded into the guide 19, a fine adjustment of the guide can bereadily effected, after loosening the bolts 20.

At the left-hand side of the platform 16 is an adjustable guide plate 28(Figs. 1, 7 and 8). The plate 28 is mounted, for adjustment toward andaway from the guide 19, by screws 30 (Fig. 8) upon an intermediate plate32 which in turn is secured to a block 34, the plate 32 and block 34being slidably received in a channel 36 provided in the table 12. Ascrew-threaded rod 38, having a knob 39, is received in a tapped hole inthe block and turns in the lug 26 (Fig. 7). A collar 41 fixed to the rod38 is restrained from moving axially of the rod by being disposedbetween the lug 26 and an L-shaped bracket 42 secured to an underside ofthe lug 26 by screws 44. By turning the knob 39 the guide plate 28 canbe adjusted; and, after adjustment, the plate 28 is fixed in position bysetting up bolts 46 (Fig. 1) passing through slots 4% in bars 50 whichare fixed upon the plate 28 by screws 51 and slide in channels 52 in thetable 12.

' The arrangement of the above-described parts is such that the platform16 constitutes the bottom of a channel or trou h, the sides of which areconstituted by the guide 19 and guide plate 28. Into this trough thelowermost counter blank of a stack S is delivered transversely of theillustrative machine prior to the feeding of the blank to the knife 14-rearwardly of the machine.

The feeding means of the illustrative machine comprises an upper matrixroll mounted on a shaft 61 and having a die cavity 62 formed in itssurface, and a lower roll 64- (Fig. 6) mounted on a shaft 65, the lowerroll being constituted by peripherally-toothed discs separated bycollars so as to provide circumferential grooves, presser fingers (oneof which is shown at 66) being accommodated in the grooves between thediscs as in the abovementioned Bailey machine. The fingers 66 are springpressed toward the roll 69 and are controlled by a cam (not shown)mounted on a shaft 68 (Fig. 5) driven by a chain 69 from a sprocket 71on the shaft 65. The bite between the rolls is located between the endof the extension 17 and the knife 14, close to the latter. The shafts61, carry meshing gears 74 and 76, respectively, the upper shaft 61being driven by a main gear 78 (Pig. 1). A counter blank upon beingpresented between the rolls 6?, 64 (Fig. 6) at the proper instant intheir rotation is pressed by the fingers 66 into the die cavity 62 andis thrust, end foremost, against the knife 14, the pressing of the blankinto the die cavity causing it to be presented to the knife in such amanner that the knife skives it as desired.

The feeding means of the illustrative machine also comprises an uppertake-up roll 80 (Fig. 6) and a lower takeup roll 82 whose upper surfaceprojects upwardly through a rectangular hole in the extension 17. Theupper roll 80 is mounted on a spindle 84 journaled in a carrier 86. Thecarrier 86 has rearwardly extending arms 88, 99 (Pig. 1) pivotallymounted, respectively, on studs 92, 94 screwed into the frame 10. At itsrighthand end, the spindle 84 carries a gear 96 which is in mesh with agear 98 mounted on the stud 92. The gear 98 is driven by another gear100 mounted on the shaft Thus, the upper take-up roll 80 is power drivenand swings pivotally about the studs 92, 94 without its drive beinginterrupted. The lower roll 82 is free to retate on a spindle 102 (Figs.5 and 6) supported in bearings 104 which are bolted to the table 12. Theupper roll 80 normally rests upon the lower roll 82 and is urged againstit by spring pressure. For this purpose, two swinging brackets 108, 110,hinged to the frame 10 at 112, 114, respectively, carry verticalplungers 116, 118 acted upon by springs 122, 122. The brackets 108, 116can beswung into and out of positions in which the plungers 116, 118press down on the carrier 86 .under the action of the Springs 122, 122.In the operation of the illustrative machine, a counter blank receivedbetween the take-up rolls 80, 82 is fed by the upper roll 80 to the feedrolls 6t), 64, the upper take-up roll yielding against the plungers 116,118 according to the thickness of the blank.

A counter blank on the platform 16 is advanced to the bite of thetake-up rolls 8t], 82 by a pusher P comprising a slide 123 (Fig. 1)mounted for forward and rearward reciprocation in a channel 124 in thetable 12.

The slide is driven by a link 125 (Figs. 1 and 5) pivoted at one end tothe slide upon a stud 126 and operated by cam means in time relation tothe matrix roll 60. The link 125 is pivoted at its other end to an arm127 fixed on a left-hand end portion of a shaft 128 extending transversely of the machine below the take-up rolls 80, 82 and rotatablymounted in the frame 10. Upon the other end of the shaft 128 is fixed anarm 129, and between this arm and the frame 10 is freely mounted a lever130 having a quadrant 132. The lever 130 carries a cam roll 133 arrangedto engage a cam 134 secured to the shaft 65. A torsion spring 135between the frame 10 and the lever 138 maintains the roll 133continuously in engagement with the earn 134. The arm 129 carries aspring-pressed plunger 136 which: is normally in a hole in the quadrant132 so that, as the cam 134 rotates and the lever 130 swings, the arm129 also swings and with it the shaft 128 and arm 127, to cause the link125 to impart reciprocatory movement to the pusher slide 123 in timerelation to rotation of the rolls 60 and 64. If it is desired to operateparts of the illustrative machine without operating the pusher slide(for example, when setting up the machine for a particular batch ofwork) the plunger 136 can be pulled out of the hole in the quadrant 132and turned so that a pin 137 on the plunger, riding in an L-shaped slotof the arm 129, holds the plunger away from the quadrant, thusdisconnecting the drive to the pusher slide.

Carried by the pusher slide 123 (Fig. 1) and secured thereto by screws138 is a bar 140 having in it a longitudinal channel 142 (Fig. 2) ofT-shaped cross-section. The rear end portion of the bar 140 is freelyreceived in groove 144 (Fig. 1) in the table 12. A pusher plate 1146(Figs. 1 and 4) is adjustably fixed upon the bar 140 by means of screws148 which pass through transverse slots 150 in the plate 146 and arereceived in tapped holes in a T-headed block 152 which is received inthe channel 142 and has an upstanding lug 154 projecting into a slot 156in the plate 146.

The rear portion of the pusher plate 146 rides upon the platform 16 asthe plate reciprocates and is provided with two fiat steps, a lower step158 (Fig. 3) and an upper step 166. Between the steps at theirright-hand sides are a narrow wall 162 and an abutment 164. A coverplate 166 is fixed upon the upper step by screws 168, and has anupwardly inclined wing 170. A narrow extension of the lower step 158,along the left-hand margin of the plate 146, provides a groove 172 inwhich an adjustable stop 174 is fixed by a bolt 176 passing through aslot 178 in the stop 174 and threaded into the plate 146.

In the operation of the illustrative machine. after a counterblank thathas beveled end portions, as hercinbefore referred to, has beenpositioned on the platform 16 flat face uppermost, the blank is advancedby the pusher plate 146 between the take-up rolls 8% 82, the beveled endportion of the blank being confined between the step 158 and cover plate166 and driven by the abutment 164 and stop 174. The take-up rolls thenpass the blank to the feed rolls 60, 64 which present it to the knife14. in passing from the platform 16 to the knife 14 the blank follows arearward path in the illustrative machine To the left of this path andadjacent to the platform 16 there is mounted a holder H (Figs. 1, 5 and7) for the stack S of counter blanks. The holder comprises an uprightwall mounted on the guide plate 28 so that it extends forwardly andrearwardly of the machine. A bent wire rod 192 adjustably fixed in a lug194 at the upper rear end of the wall by a screw 196 provides, with anend wall 197 integral with the wall 192 means for aligning the rearwardends of the blanks. Similarly, a bent wire rod 198 is adjustably fixedby a screw 200 to an upright post 202 at the forward end of the holderand serves to hold the forward ends of the blanks in alignment. The post202 can be adjustably fixed at any position along the wall 190 toaccommodate different lengths of counter blanks. For this purpose, thepost 202 has an ear 204 (Fig. 1) that overlaps a slot 286 in a flangewhich extends along the top of the wall, and a belt 208 passing throughthe slot 236 secures the car 284 to the flange. Along most of the bottomof the wall 190 there extends a gap 210 (Figs. 5 and 7), long enough forthe longest counter blank that the machine is to be used for to passthrough sideways.

Associated with the holder is a separating means for transferring thelowermost blanks one at a time from the stack in the holder H to theplatform 16. Thus, a central portion of the wall 190 of the holder H isrecessed at its left-hand side to accommodate a gate 212. The gate 212has a thick lower end portion 214 extending into the gap 210 at thebottom of the wall 190 and is mounted on the wall with provision forlengthwise and heightwise adjustment. For this purpose, a bracket 216 isadjustably secured to the top and the wall 190 by a screw 218 passingthrough the slot 206 and received in a tapped hole in the bracket. Thebracket 216 has a vertical slot 226 through which passes a screw 228screwed into an upper portion of the gate 212 for holding the gate inposition. Fine heightwise adjustment of the gate 212 can be effected,after loosening the screw 228, by means of a shouldered screw 230received in a U-shaped lug 232 screwed to the gate and threaded into avertical tapped hole in the bracket 216. The gate 212 can thus bepositioned not only lengthwise of the Wall 190, so that it is midwaybetween the rods 192, 198 (after the post 2112 has been moved to a.position suitable to accommodate the particular counter blanks to beskived), but also heightwise of the wall so that the bottom portion 214of the gate allows only the bottom blank of the stack to pass under it.

The separating means also comprises separating pushers 250, 250 (Figs.1, and 7) arranged to engage the lefthand side of the lowermost counterblank in the holder and to push it onto the platform 16. The pushers aredisposed one at each side of the gate 212 and are slotted at 254 toreceive T-bolts 256 which are received in a channel 258 of atransversely reciprocable carrier 261 The carrier 260 has one set offour wheels 261 which run in grooves 262 of channel members 264 fixedupon a U-shaped bracket 266, the latter being bolted upon the table 12.Another set of wheels 267 rotatably mounted upon the carrier guide itlaterally thereof by engagement with the lower, inner edges of themembers 264. The carrier 260 is thus mounted to reciprocate transverselyof the illustrative machine and to carry the pushers 250, 251) frompositions (as shown in Fig. 1) in which they engage the left-hand edgeof the lowermost blank in the holder H to positions (as shown in Fig. 7)in which they overlap the right-hand edge of the guide plate 28, wherebythe blanks are delivered, one at a time, from the holders to theplatform 16 in readiness to be fed by the feeding means to the knife 14.

The carrier 269 is operated by a rack and pinion mechanism comprisingtwo racks 270 (Figs. 5, 7 and 1), secured to the lower side of thecarrier 260 by screws 272, and pinions 274 (Figs. 5 and 7) mounted inmeshing relation to the racks on a spindle 276 journaled in the bracket266. The rearward pinion 274 meshes with a pinion 278 fixed upon aspindle 280 which is rotatably mounted upon the bracket 266. Anotherpinion 282 (Fig. 5) fixed upon the spindle 280 meshes with a rack 284mounted for vertical sliding movement on the bracket 266. The rack 284is urged upwardly by a compression spring 286 which engages the lowerend of the rack and is housed in a sleeve 288 fixed upon the lower sideof the bracket 266. A screw 292 at the lower end of the sleeve 288adjustably supports a member 293 which is engaged by the lower end ofthe spring 286 and enables the compression of the spring to be adjusted.The position assumed by the rack 284 under the action of the spring isgoverned by a cam 294 (Figs. 5 and 1) mounted on the shaft 65 thatcarries the lower feed roll 64. A lever 296, pivoted at 298 on a lugprojecting rearwardly from the table 12, carries at one end a cam roll300 that engages the cam and, at the opposite end, is pivoted to a link302, the latter being pivoted to the top end of the rack 284.

The arrangement of the rack and pinion mechanism for operating thecarrier 260 is such that the pushers 250, 250 yieldingly remove a blankfrom the holder H under the influence of the spring 286 and arepositively retracted when the rack 284 is forced down by the earn 294against the spring. If the left-hand edge of the blank does not drop offthe pushers 25th, 250 upon passing the righthand edge of the guide plate28, the pushers 251 250 may be checked momentarily by the engagement ofthe righthand side of the blank with the guide 19, such action of thepushers being permitted by yielding of the spring 286. However, theblank is depressed toward the platform 16 during its delivery thereto bythe downwardly sloping wing of the cover plate 166 on the pusher plate146; and for the same purpose, there is provided a weight 310 (Fig. 7)acting upon the midportion of the blank to depress and hold it againstthe platform 16. The weight is pivoted to a bracket 312 adjustablysecured to the guide 19 by a screw 314 which passes through a slot 315in the bracket 312 and into a block 316 received in a T-shaped channel318 (Fig. 1) at the top of the guide.

In the operation of the illustrative machine the pushers 256, 250,pusher plate 146, take-up rolls 80, 82 and feed rolls 60, 64 operate intime relation to one another as will appear below. The pushers 250, 250are operated first to separate a blank from the bottom of the stack Sand deliver it widthwise thereof transversely of the machine under thegate 212 onto the platform 16, the pushers being arranged to travelslightly over the blank after it has fallen onto the platform 16 underthe weight 310, so as to ensure that the blank is pushed ofi the guideplate 28.

During the movement of the blank onto the platform, its forward beveledend, if it tends to curl upwardly from the plane of the blank, isdepressed toward the platform by the wing 176, which with the step 158provides a restricted converging receptacle for the beveled end of theblank, insuring that when the pusher plate 146 is advanced topresent'the blank to the take-up rolls 80, 82 the abutment-s 164 and 174will properly engage the beveled end of the blank.

The blank is now in position on the platform 16 to be fed rearwardly tothe knife 14 with the right-hand lateral edge of the blank abutting thewall 162 of the pusher plate 146. The blank is also confined laterallythereof on the platform in the channel between the guide 19 and thesides of the guide plate 28 and wall for directing the blanks advance tothe knife 14. The blank does not at this time engage the abutment 164and stop 174 of the pusher plate 146 because, as is usually the casewith counter blanks, the pusher plate must be set so far forwardly ofthe illustrative machine at the forward end of its stroke that thelongest part of the blank can freely pass the stop 17 4 during itsdelivery onto the platform.

While the pushers 250, 250 are being retracted, the pusher plate 146 ismoved rearwardly bringing the abutment 164 and stop 174 into engagementwith the forward end of the blank and then presenting the blank to thebite of the take-up rolls 80, 82. By the latter rolls the blank isadvanced to the feed rolls 60, 64 which present the blank to the knife14, in a manner that causes the knife to skive one or both of thelateral margins of the blank, as desired, the skived blank passing abovethe knife and the skived off fibre board below it.

It will be realized that the feed rolls 60, 64 and the upper take-uproll 80 are driven continuously while the machine is in operation andthat it is the timing of the feeding stroke of the pusher plate 146 thatensures that the blank B enters the bite of the feed rolls at thecorrect instant in the rotation of the matrix roll.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter and means for feeding a blank to be skived to said cutter, thecombination of means for presenting the blank to said feeding meanscomprising a platform having spaced guides cooperating with saidplatform to form a channel for directing the blank by engagement withits lateral edges to said feeding means, a pusher mounted for movementin said channel lengthwise thereof for advancing the blank to saidfeeding means, a holder for a stack of blanks mounted at one side ofsaid channel flush with the guiding edge of one of said guides, andblank separating means mounted for movement across said guiding edge fortransferring the lowermost blank in said holder into said channeltransversely thereof.

2. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter, means for feeding to said cutter a blank to be skived and aplatform along which the blank is advanced to said feeding means, thecombination of guides cooperating with said platform to form a channelin which the blank is directed to said feeding means, a pusher foradvancing a blank in said channel to said feeding means, a holder for astack of blanks mounted upon one of said guides and having a gatecooperating with said last-mentioned guide to permit the discharge ofonly the lowermost blank from said holder into said channel, and blankseparating means comprising a second pusher mounted for yieldingmovement transversely of said channel in overlapping relation to theguiding edge of said last-mentioned guide for transferring the lowermostblank in said holder to said channel.

3. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter, means for feeding a blank to be skived to said cutter and aplatform along which the blank is advanced to said feeding means, thecombination of guides cooperating with said platform to form a channelin which the blank is directed to said feeding means, a pusher mountedfor movement in said channel alternately toward said feeding means andaway therefrom to advance a blank in said channel to said feeding means,a holder for a stack of blanks mounted upon one of said guides, blankseparating means comprising a second pusher for transferring thelowermost blank in said holder to said channel, and means for yieldinglymoving said second pusher transversely of said channel over the edgethereof defined by said last-mentioned guide in advance of each movementof said first-mentioned pusher toward said feeding means.

4. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter, means for feeding to said cutter a blank to be skived and aplatform along which the blank is advanced to said feeding means, thecombination of guides cooperating with said platform to form a channelin which the blank is directed to said feeding means, a pusher mountedfor movement in said channel lengthwise thereof for advancing the blankto said feeding means, a holder for a stock of blanks mounted upon oneof said guides so that the lowermost blank in said holder is supportedby said last-mentioned guide at a level above said platform, and blankseparating means comprising a second pusher movable transversely of saidchannel and over the edge thereof defined by said last-mentioned guidefor transferring the lowermost blank in said holder to and depositing itin said channel.

5. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter and means for feeding to said cutter a blank to be skived, incombination, a platform along which the blank is advanced to saidfeeding means, guides cooperating with said platform to form a channelfor directing the blank to said feeding means,

a holder for a stack of blanks mounted upon one of said guides, saidlast-mentioned guide having a guiding edge defining one side of saidchannel in alinement with one side of said holder and being arranged tosupport the lowermost blank in said holder above said channel, and blankseparating means comprising a second pusher mounted for movementtransversely of said channel into engagement with the lowermost blank insaid holder into overlapping relation with the guiding edge of saidlastmentioned guide whereby the lowermost blank in said holder isremoved therefrom and deposited in said channel.

6. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a skiving machine having acutter and means for feeding a blank to be skived to said cutter, incombination, means for presenting the blank to said feeding meanscomprising, a platform having spaced guides thereon for directing theblank to said feeding means, a pusher mounted to reciprocate betweensaid guides lengthwise thereof for advancing a blank along said platformto said feeding means, a holder for a stack of blanks disposed at oneside of the path of said pusher, blank separating means for transferringthe lowermost blank in said holder onto said platform between saidguides, and means for depressing the end of the blank to be engaged bysaid pusher into and holding it in the path of said pusher in responseto the movement of the blank out of said holder.

7. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a machine for skivingblanks having a cutter and a platform along which a blank to be skivedin presented to said cutter, in combination, means for advancing a blankon said platform to said cutter comprising a pusher mounted for movementtoward and away from said cutter, a holder for a stack of blanksdisposed at one side of the path of said pusher, and blank separatingmeans for transferring the lowermost blank in said holder onto saidplatform transversely of the path of said pusher, said pusher comprisingan abutment for driving the blank by engagement with an end thereof anda sloping wing for depressing the end of the blank to be engaged by saidabutment into the path thereof in response to the movement of said blankonto said platform.

8. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a machine for skivingblanks having a cutter and a platform for supporting a blank to beoperated upon with one end facing said cutter, in combination, areciprocatory pusher for advancing said blank endwise thereof towardsaid cutter, said pusher having a wall and an abutment arranged toengage one side and an end, respectively, of said blank, a holder for astack of blanks disposed at one side of the path of said pusher, andblank separating means for transferring the lowermost blank in saidholder onto said platform by engagement with the other lateral edge ofsaid blank, said pusher also comprising an inclined plate for guidingthe blank into engagement with said wall and for depressing the endportion of said blank into the path of said abutment in response to themovement of said blank onto said platform.

9. In a blank feeding apparatus for use with a machine for skivingblanks having a cutter and a platform along which a blank to be skivedis presented to said cutter, in combination, a guide and a guide plate,said guide and an edge of said guide plate defining with said platform achannel for receiving a blank with an end thereof facing said cutter,means for advancing the blank endwise thereof in said channel towardsaid cutter, a holder associated with said guide plate for a stack ofblanks of which the lowermost blank rests upon said guide plate adjacentto its said edge, blank separating means for transferring the lowermostblank in said holder across said edge of said guide plate into saidchannel, said blank separating means comprising a pusher mounted foryielding movement across said edge over said channel, and means fordepressing the blank into said channel as the blank is deliveredthereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS593,409 Ayer Nov. 9, 1897 681,347 Scott Aug. 27, 1901 1,031,301 ThurstonJuly 2, 1912 1,295,123 Cheshire Feb. 25, 1919 1,305,236 Pope May 27,1919 1,711,588 Clarke May 7, 1929 2,131,967 Peropat Oct. 4, 19382,364,142 Hildman Dec. 5, 1944 2,373,159 Bennion Apr. 10, 1945

